Carrier-backed decorative material



March 2, 1954 w. L. BOSTWICK ET AL I 7 2,670,

CARRIER-BACKED DECORATIVE MATERIALv Filed Nov. 2. 1950 Fig. 2

Wallace L. Bosrwick Samuel M. Te-rry Patented Mar. 2, 1954 CARRIER-BACKED DECORATIVE MATERIAL Wallace L. Bostwick and Samuel M. Terry, Co-

lumbus, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to The United States Playing Card Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio, and National Publishing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November'Z, 1950, Serial No. 193,668 7 8 Claims. (Cl. 41-37) This invention relates to a carrier-backed decorating material and, more particularly, to a carrier-backed decorating material having incorporated therewith a material for preventing abrasion of the decorative film.

Decorated surfaces, such as embossed surfaces, or the fiat surfaces formed by a plurality of edgedecorated book sheet edges or card edges, lose their lustrous appearance, become dull, and disintegrate mainly through the action of abrasive forces. This is particularly true in the case of edge-decorated book sheets or playing cards when merely subjected to the abrasion attendant upon their normal use. In the past, attempts have been made to solve this problem by providing a layer of a protective material, so positioned in the carrier-backed decorative strip, that upon application of the strip to the surface formed from a plurality of card edges or sheet edges, or any other flat surface, such as a fiat leather surface, or the like, the protective coating layer would be exposed to the abrasive forces, and would be positioned exterior of the decorative material. In other words, the resultant decorated surface would comprise a layer of adhesive, contacting the flat surface, and also contacting the decorative material, and a layer of the protective material, exterior of the decorative material. Such exteriorly positioned protective materials have been unsatisfactory since, while offering some protection to the decorative material, they have detracted from the lustrous appearance of the decorated surface and, consequently, have decreased the sales appeal of the particular item in question. Most of these substances, moreover, upon aging, have become more opaque, thereby even further detracting from the pleasing appearance of the decorated article. In the book sheet edge-decorating and playing card edge-decorating arts, it was originally the practice to decorate the flat surface formed by a plurality of book sheet edges or playing card edges with a thin metallic leaf such as gold, silver, or the like, by first cleaning and otherwise preparing the surface, applying adhesive thereto, and then applying the unsupported leaf to the adhesively treated urface. At the proper instant, the decorative material was burnished by a highly skilled workman and then, if desired, a layer of a protective coating material was placed on the decorated surface. The entire procedure was extremely expensive, and where the protective coating material became discolored, upon aging, there resulted an article of manufacture so lacking in sales appeal, that in both of these arts the 2 practice has been, in the majority of instances, not to include the use of a protective coating material.

It is, therefore, one object of this invention to provide a carrier-backed decorative strip wherein the decorative material will be rendered re- It is still another object of this invention to provide the edge-decorated book sheet, playing card, or the like, wherein the decorative material is bonded to the edge of the book sheet, playing card, or the like, by means of a heat-activated adhesive, and wherein the decorative material is rendered resistant to abrasion.

It is a further object or this invention to provide a material for decorating the edges of book sheets, playing cards, or the like, which is simple to use, inexpensive, and which will permit the decoration of all of the exposed edges of a group of book sheets, playing cards, or the like, assembled en masse, all in one operation, and which will minimize the abrasion of the decorative material when that decorative material has been applied to the edges of book sheets, playing cards, or the like.

Various other objects and advantageous features of this invention may be had from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, perspective View of a carrier-backed decorative strip, the individual parts thereof bein exaggerated in size for purposes of clarity; and I Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view,

partly in section, of an edge-decorated book sheet or playing card.

In general, this invention is based upon the discovery that the incorporation of a particular material in admixture with an adhesive, in a layer which contacts both the decorative mate ularly, to Fig. l, a carrier-backing I of a suitable material, such as cellophane, paper, or the like, has applied thereto a film or coating of release material ll. applied in a variety of Ways, vacuum evaporation being a very satisfactory method for insuringthe production of a filrn of uniform, controlled thickness. Substantially the only requirements for the backing strip are that it be flexible, have 'a smooth surface, and be substantiallynonelastic; Waxes and alkali halide salts such as p0 bromide (KBr) or potassium can" release materials. I2 is a fil material, such as gold, saver, a bronze, or the like. This filifi o secretive terial may be applied to the release matern ty vacuum evaporation, sputtering, or 4 any other satisfactory method. Layer I 3 is a? mixture of nitrocellulose and an adhesive, and layer I6 is an adhesive.

It is preferred that the adhesive be a heatactivated type of adhesivead m particulars, it is preferred that the heat-activated type of adhesive be a polyamide adhesive. Polyarizid adhesives formed from ethylene diarr'ii'ii and dimerized, trimerized linoleic and linl-erli acids have proven very successful as heat-activated polyamide type adhesive It is preferred that layer i3 contain riots approximately 25%"t'd approximately 70 nitrocellulose, the balance being polya-inide adhesive; Bliv amel orate ly 25% inclusion of nascent-165s in layer 13 here is no noticeable improve-ism; in abr'siofi-rsistant qualities, as compared to a decorative material adhered to a urface merely by means of a polyarriide adhesive. More than 70% nitrocellulo'se results in such an increase in the cohesion of layer l3 that, when the can lei-backed decorative materi'al has been applied to the" surface formed b3 the edges of book sheets or playing cards, the individual pages ofb ks or the individual playing cards cannotbe readily separated from each other without damage to the decorated surface; In a case of the embossing of a flat Surface, such as leather, or the like; more than 70% nitrocellulose in layer '3 results in such an increase in the cohesion of the layer that the lines of de-" marc'ation of the embossed areas are frequently ragged, thereby producing an unsatisfactory article.

The most preferred composition of layer 13 is 50% nitrocellulose and 50% polyamide adhesive.

Any of the soluble" types of nitrocellulose may be used. Included within such a category are the RS, AS, and SS" types of nitrocellulose. While nitrocellulose having a viscosity as high as 1,000 seconds may be used, it is preferred to use a nitrocellulose of a second grade or less. The only disadvantage of using a nitrocellulose of a higher viscosity is that the viscosity of the solu- ,tion which is used to produce layer i3 is extremely high, rendering manipulation and preparation of the decorative strip diflicult.

Regardless of the percentage of nitrocellulose in layer l3, and the grade of nitrocellulose, it is important to control the thickness; of layer l3. Layer I 3 shouldnot be less than 1X16 inch, nor more than 2 l;0 inch in thickness.- 4 Using a grade of nitrocellulose of- 5 seconds or less,- an optimum thickness for layer I3 is 1 .5 1-0- inch; Moreover, superior results are obtained; when higher grade viscosity nitrocellulose is used, ifthe thickness is limited to less than 1,5 X? inch-.-

The total thickness of layers [3 and l 4 should be from 4X10 inch to q x 19 inch. When these thicknesses are exceededthecohesion of layers 13 This film of release material may be nesses less than these are used the adhesive qualnest beer that the decorative material will not be properly adhered to the separated book sheet edges, playing card edges, or embossed surfaces.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 2, there is she-es portionof an edge-decorated book sheet or playing card wherein i5 is a portion of a book sheet or playing card, layer M is an adhesive, layer i3 is a mixture of nitrocellulose and adhesive and layer [2, is the decorative material or metallic foil. The layers l3 and M are within the above design'ated limits of thickness, and layer i 3 is composed of a mixture of nitrocellulose and adhesive within the above-designated percentage limitations.

, In using this novel carrier-backed decorative the carrier-backed decorative strip, having the adhesive incorporated therewith, is merely placed with the adhesive side down on a prepared surf ace, such as a flat leather surface, a: cloth sur-' face', the surface formed from any one of the various materials commonly used for book coverings, or the smooth surface formed by the edges of playing cards or book leav'es, assembled in side Icy-side relation. Thereafter, heat or heat and pressure are applied to the carrier side of the carrier-backed decorative material and the carrier is then removed, leaving the foil or decorative material firmly adhered to the pre pared surface. In the case of playing cards or book leaves, the leaves or cardsihay then be riflied and separated; and when realigned they will presenta continuously decorated surface.

v} It should be apparentfrom the above description that there has seen devised a noveland estreiiieiy useful carrier-backed decorative strip having incorporated therewith a matli al which, though not ondense eiterior' of the decorative filni when the deter ent filrn is adhered to 'a' surface, still results in the production (if an anasiemre istam ceeora rum-.- rne use or seen a ambulance res'ul-tsis reveiunonary savirrgs in time labor in the edge-decorating of playin cards or bricks; and enasies' the" declarative material thereon, or on any accessed surface; to remain pleasing tothe" eyaeven marg n subjected to the abrasion of normal use: The use 6f the carrier-backed decorative material described herein will produce abrasion-resistant deco native filmf which is as plea-s e to eye as a filmplaced on the edges of book sheets or playing cards by hand, and which thereafter been burnished. I n I Whilethis invention as been described mite preferred embodiment, it is to be uhderstoodtliat' the words that have been used words of aesthetics rather than or limitation, and that changes within the purview 6f the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is; v

1. A backed decorative material comprising a carrier, a release material on said carrier.- a film of decorative material on said release material, a film on said decorative material of a material comprising from 25% to 70% nitrocellulose and the balance polyamide adhesive, and a film of polyamide adhesive on said film of nitrocellulosecontaining material; the thickness of said nitrocellulose-containing material film being from l inch to 2 10- inch, and the sum of the thicknesses of the nitrocellulose-containing material film and the film of polyamide adhesive being from 4 10 inch to 6 10 inch.

2. In a backed decorative material comprising a carrier, a release material on said carrier, a film of decorative material on said release material, and a film of polyamide adhesive, a film of a material comprising from to 70% nitrocellulose and the balance polyamide adhesive on said film of decorative material and in intimate contact with said film of polyamide adhesive; said film of nitrocellulose containing material being from 1 10- inch to 2 l0 inch, and the sum of the thicknesses of said polyamide adhesive film and said nitrocellulose-containing film being from 4X10 inch to 6 10- inch.

3. An edge-decorated book comprising a plurality of book pages, each of which said pages has in intimate contact with the edge thereof a layer of polyamide adhesive, said adhesive having in intimate contact therewith a layer of a material comprising from 25% to 70% nitrocellulose and the balance polyamide adhesive, and of a thickness of from 1 10- inch to 2 l0" inch, said material having in intimate contact therewith a layer of decorative material, and the sum of the thicknesses of said nitrocellulose containing material and said polyamide adhesive being from 4 l0" inch to 6 l0 inch.

4. An edge-decorated playing card comprising a card, the edge of which has in intimate contact therewith a layer of polyamide adhesive, said adhesive having in intimate contact therewith a material comprising from 25% to 70% nitrocellulose and the balance polyamide adhesive, and being from 1 10- inch to 2 1O inch in thickness, said material having in intimate contact therewith a decorative material, the sum of the thicknesses of said nitrocellulose containing material and said polyamide adhesive being from 4X 10- inch to 6 l0- inch.

5. In a backed decorative material comprising a carrier, a release material on said carrier, a film of decorative material on said release material, and a film of polyamide adhesive, a film of a material comprising equal quantities of nitrocellulose and polyamide adhesives on said decorative material and in intimate contact with said film of polyamide adhesive; the thickness of said nitrocellulose containing film being from l l0 inch to 2x10 inch, and the sum of the thicknesses or" said nitrocellulose containing material and said polyamide adhesive fihn being from 4X10" inch to 6X10 inch.

6. In a backed decorative material comprising a carrier, a release material on said carrier, a film of decorative material on said release material, and a film oi polyamide adhesive, a film of a material comprising equal quantities of nitrocellulose and polyamide adhesive on said decorative material and in intimate contact with said film of polyamide adhesive; the thickness of said nitrocellulose containing film being 1.5 10- inch, the sum of the thicknesses of said nitrocellulose containing film and said polyamide adhesive film being 5 10- inch, and said nitrocellulose being of a 5 second grade.

'7. In a backed decorative material comprising a carrier, 2. release material on said carrier, a film of decorative material on said release material, and a film of polyamide adhesive, a film of a material comprising from 25% to nitrocellulose, of a grade of 1,000 seconds or less, and the balance polyamide adhesive, on said decorative material and in intimate contact with said film of polyamide adhesive; the thickness of said nitrocellulose containing film being less than l.5 10"* inch but not less than 1 l0 inch, and the sum of the thicknesses of said nitrocellulose containing film and said polyamide adhesive film being from 4X10- inch to 6X10- inch.

8. An edge-decorated article comprising at least one sheet, the edge of said sheet having in intimate contact therewith a layer of polyamide adhesive, said adhesive having in intimate contact therewith a material comprising from 25% to 70% nitrocellulose and the balance polyamide adhesive, and being from 1 10- inch to 2 10 inch in thickness, said material having in intimate contact therewith a decorative material, the sum of the thicknesses of said nitrocellulosecontaining material and said polyamide adhesive being from 4X 10* inch to 6X10 inch.

WALLACE L. BO'STWICK. SAMUEL M. TERRY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,124,114 Davis et al. Jan. 5, 1915 1,155,959 Robinson Oct. 5, 1915 1,315,591 Barker Sept. 9, 1919 1,515,676 Grupe Nov. 18, 1924 1,515,722 Boyd Nov. 18, 1924 1,591,304 Giveans July 6, 1926 1,727,800 Albert Sept. 10, 1929 1,909,631 Poschel May 16, 1933 1,994,088 Owen Mar. 12, 1935 2,017,367 Kurz Oct. 15, 1935 2,099,641 Bach Nov. 16, 1937 2,175,492 Swift Oct. 10, 1939 2,285,178 Thinius June 2, 1942 

3. AN EDGE-DECORATED BOOK COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF BOOK PAGES, EACH OF WHICH SAID PAGES HAS IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH THE EDGE THEREOF A LAYER OF POLYAMIDE ADHESIVE, SAID ADHESIVE HAVING IN INTIMATE CONTACT THEREWITH A LAYER OF A MATERIAL COMPRISING FROM 25% TO 70% NITROCELLULOSE AND THE BALANCE POLYAMIDE ADHESIVE, AND OF A THICKNESS OF FROM 1X10-4 INCH TO 2X10-4 INCH, SAID MATERIAL HAVING IN INTIMATE CONTACT THEREWITH A LAYER OF DECORATIVE MATERIAL, AND THE SUM OF THE THICKNESSES OF SAID NITROCELLULOSE CONTAINING MATERIAL AND SAID POLYAMIDE ADHESIVE BEING FROM 4X10-4 INCH TO 6X10-4 INCH. 